What I Learned in College

Because sometimes, there are things they just can't teach you. Warning: this blog will be unapologetically honest.

[thingstheydont-teachyou]

Another Actual Blog Post: Quick Finals Week Advice and I'm Sorry

Wow, you guys! This semester has just flown on by. To the freshman: congrats, you made it through your first semester alive! To the seniors: You did it! Happy Almost-Graduation! To everyone in between: Hang in there! 

So, I had planned on writing a longer post on how to get through finals week, but it slipped my mind. Sorry! And now, instead of writing my 10 page paper I have due tomorrow, I decided to write a quick little post. I just couldn't leave y'all hanging. 

Finals week can be the most stressful week of your life, and you swear every single one is worst than the last. I can't really give you any kind of advice on how to eliminate the stress completely, but I can give some pointers that might make it a little easier. Try some of these to see what helps you.

Eat healthy. Candy and junk food as finals week munchies sounds better than buying up all of Wal Mart's produce section, but fruits and veggies are better brain food. If you don't want to completely give up the candy and chips, at least balance it out. One banana for each bag of chips. Most importantly: Eat complete meals, three times a day.

Drink water. You can drink two gallons of coffee, but you should also drink two gallons of water to even it out. Avoid sodas this week (looking at you, dear sister). The worst thing that can happen to you on finals week is to get dehydrated. 

Find your caffeine buzz. Decide what keeps you alert. Tea or coffee, whatever it is. Stock up on it. I am not an advocate of energy drinks, but if that's what works for you, I won't tell you not to drink them.

Spread out your studying. Yes, cramming is fun (not), but spreading out your studying will make for a less stressful night before the test. Starting early will ensure you get through everything and retain information better.

Start the papers EARLY. This is something I personally struggle with. Case in point: I have a 10 page paper, as mentioned above, due tomorrow and I've only written one page of it. You will generally have the instructions for the paper early on in the semester, so it's always a good idea to get a jump on those papers before the semester gets crazy. Don't be like me! 

Take study breaks. Study breaks will recharge your brain. Don't make them too long; 20 to 30 minutes should suffice. Lay down in the bed (but don't fall asleep), go for a walk or run, take a relaxing shower, watch a short program on Netflix, or watch 30 minutes of TV. Anything to relax for a time. But after 30 minutes, get back to work! 

Get plenty of sleep. One of the major breaking points for any college student is exhaustion. We fall down on the bed and worry about everything we have to study for, leading us to get back up and study some more. Forget about that study guide and get at least 6 hours, if not 8. Sleep is definitely hard to come by on finals week, but if you're smart with your time, you won't have to deal with the exhaustion.

Find your groove. Finding an ideal study spot is crucial to a successful finals week. If that spot is your bed, your desk, your kitchen table, the library, the coffee shop down the street, or even the floor, that's fine (although I don't recommend bed). Find it. Claim it. Love it. You will be fine. 

That's all I've got for you. I'm including some links to foods and drinks that help with concentration and alertness. Brain food and drink, so to speak. The food may not be the most delicious, but it's worth a try. 

These foods on Reader's Digest, or these on BBC

These teas with varying amounts of caffeine

Coffee is coffee, so if you like it, then drink away. I encourage you to try the tea, though, since it's less harsh on your body than coffee is. No teeth staining, easier on the stomach, stuff like that. 

And that's my advice. This is my fifth semester in college, so hopefully by now I know what I'm talking about. The jury's out, though. If any of these things are more helpful than others, if there's something you think I should add or cut, please let me know. I'm always up for feedback! 

I wish everyone, from freshman to seniors, good luck on finals week. Remember, Christmas is right around the corner! Let's do this! Love to everyone. 

[thingstheydont-teachyou]

Another Actual Blog Post: On Where I've Been For The Last Month

Yes, I went off the grid. I know, you missed me. Sorry I was gone for so long.

School got kinda crazy. It still is crazy, as we approach Thanksgiving break and the end of the Fall 2014 semester. With all the excitement that comes with fall semester, I just forgot to post stuff. Super sorry about that. 

I'll try to find something else to write about this weekend. Maybe it'll be about finals week. Maybe it'll be about making friends. Maybe it'll be about staying on campus for breaks (Sad, I know). I'll have time this weekend (for the first time in a month), so I'll try to give you guys something good. 

Any specific topics you'd like to hear about (Note: if it doesn't let you answer on the post then just send it to me as an ask which is a link to the left)?

[thingstheydont-teachyou]

Another Actual Blog Post: On Why I Love To Write (And Encourage You To Do So As Well)

One day, I will have shorter blog titles. But until that day comes, deal with it. Punk.

So here’s why I love to write: 

It soothes me. When I am stressed about a test, about school, or just about life in general, writing calms me down and helps me focus on what I need to do.

It makes me happy. When I am sad or angry, I write. In my fiction, I can create a happier moment in time (any time and any place) and live vicariously through my characters. 

It helps me sort out my thoughts. If I have a big decision I need to make, I write it out. I start with the dilemma. Then I move on to the reasons why I should do it, and then on to the reasons why I shouldn’t do it. Or the other way around. Either way, by the time I get to the last of the reasons why I should or shouldn’t, I’ve usually already made my decision. It’s that easy. 

Number one really does help. It’s a nice study break when you’re freaking out about a test. Before starting this blog post, I was studying for a midterm in Comparative Mythology. Yes, it’s as complicated as it sounds. You try keeping all those names straight; who married who, who slept with who, who fathered this one and this one… It’s enough to make your head spin. But, it’s fun and so interesting. Compelling, even. Anyway, after I finish and post this, I will go back to studying. I’ve had a nice little brain break. 

Number two is my favorite. I feel emotions so so strongly sometimes, as I’m sure most of my readers can identify with. I get sad, but I hate crying. So instead of crying, I go to my computer, open a new document, and create a scene in my head where the main character is also sad, but something happens to make him or her happier than ever, which is when I start to feel better. By making my character happy, I become happy. It’s a wonderful feeling. 

Number three is the most important to me, since I have grown to be an incredibly indecisive person. I will change my mind ten to fifteen times on something before I finally decide to do it or not to do it. It’s usually the former.

Here’s my advice to you: When in doubt, write it out. I want to encourage every one who reads this to write out their feelings, their opinions, their beliefs. You don’t ever have to show it to anyone. You can burn it, if you want. You can keep it saved on your computer in an encrypted file (although I don’t know how to do this). You can lock it away in a safe under your bed, if you have one. If you have a safe, I mean; I sincerely hope you have a bed. You can send it anonymously as an ask to this blog. You can create your own blog and post them there and never tell anyone about your blog. Or do, if you want. Either way, you get the point: write it out. You might find just as much solace in writing as I do. I, for one, hope you do.

[thingstheydont-teachyou]

Another Actual Blog Post: Wherein I Let You Know That It’s Okay To Not Be Okay

In college, a lot of things will grind your gears. You will have days (sometimes many consecutive ones) where just about everything annoys you and you feel like you should just spend the day in bed watching Netflix, or reading while listening to the entirety of your music library. And there’s nothing wrong with doing just that.

The bars will annoy you. Loud music from the other side of the apartment (or next door) will annoy you. Teachers and classmates will annoy you. Having to get out of bed and go to class will annoy you. Many, many people will annoy you. But that’s when you just have to do you. Go take a hot shower, get in your sweats, make yourself some tea, or even pour a glass of wine, and lay in bed. Remove yourself from the situation that is getting to you.

You are allowed to have bad days. Read this next line and read it well: It’s okay to not be okay.

It’s okay to cover your head with blankets and pillows and cry for a little bit. It’s okay to miss your mom. It’s okay to miss your dad. You can cry over missing your puppy, or your cat. You can cry over missing your friends, your long distance significant other. You can cry over whatever you want. It’s okay.

It’s okay to be angry with someone. It’s okay to avoid them for a while. You don’t have to go out with them, or even see them if you don’t want to. That being said, you should not let this go on forever without letting them know why you were upset with them, or just going back to being friendly to them if you don’t want to talk about it. But you should know that it is okay to be upset with someone. 

It’s okay to want to stay in on a Friday night alone. If your friends are going somewhere you don’t want to go, know that you don’t have to go just because they are trying to persuade you. If you want to order a pizza, get some beer, and sit alone in your room watching Netflix all night, do it. If you want to blow off your friends to get your homework done early on Friday night, by all means, do it. Schoolwork is more important, anyway. It’s okay to want to be alone on Friday and even Saturday night. 

What I want you to learn from this post is: it is so totally okay to be so totally NOT okay. You can cry. You can scream. You can get mad, and you can get annoyed. You can get sad. Just because you move out of your parents’ house doesn't mean you have to suddenly start acting like the perfect adult all your elders want you to be. You are allowed to have bad feelings and you are allowed to have breakdowns. Growing up takes a long time; it doesn't happen overnight. So cry away, my friends. Cry away.

[thingstheydont-teachyou]

Another Actual Blog Post: On Being Hopelessly Attracted To That One Boy: Part One

If you go to the most popular bar in Baton Rouge, chances are he’ll be there. Chances are you’ll see him, chances are he’ll dance with you. You’ll be sober, so you’ll dance with him (because you fucking love dancing), but you won’t kiss him. Even though you know that’s his intention.

Fuck that.

So then he’ll move on to dance with the girl who you said you can’t stand to be around, maybe because he knows. Or maybe because he can tell you don’t want to go home with him, so he might take her home instead. And if that’s the case, it’s because he doesn’t care about you. You’re just another number.

But you’ll still be jealous. Because you know, you’re hopelessly attracted to him.  This will be added to when sober.

[thingstheydont-teachyou]

Another Actual Blog Post: Wherein I Lament The Behavior of 20-Something Year Old Boys

So here’s how this train of thought started: I was sitting in the library on campus studying Biology. I wanted to listen to something not-depressing, since studying for Biology is pretty depressing (because I hate it). I started listening to French music, then I started thinking about Paris, and how much I miss Paris. And I thought about that episode of Parks and Recreation where Leslie and Ben go to Paris on a whim, and the last line in the episode is Leslie quoting Audrey Hepburn, saying, “Paris is always a good idea.” I thought how adorable it was that Ben surprised her with a trip to Paris and how romantic that is. And how much I agree with Paris always being a good idea.

And I realized, I want a Ben. I want someone who can deal with how weird I am 24/7 and someone who can deal with how I become obsessed with things and someone who can understand and accept my type of feminism. I want someone who will take me back to Paris. I want in my significant other all the things Leslie Knope got in Benjamin Wyatt. 

But as I am thinking about this I become even more sad that no one like this seems to exist right now (fucking college guys), and I’m utterly and terribly afraid someone like this won’t come into my life until we’re both well into our 20s, or possibly our early 30s. I would really like my life to be happy, and I’m not saying a man is what makes a woman happy, but it sure as hell doesn’t hurt. 

But all I can find on this campus are frat boys who don’t want anything but sex. That’s lust, not love. I’m not going to be you’re number 5 on Friday nights when you’re bored at the tailgate, or Saturday nights when you’re drunk at the house party. I’m not going to be you’re number anything on any given day, no matter what sweet nothings you whisper in my ear while putting beer after beer in my hand. I want someone who will appreciate and respect me the way I deserve to be appreciated and respected. 

This turned into an angry post and for that I’m sorry, but I just can’t help it.

Let’s make this into a learning experience: If you’re like me, you will come to learn that you will either fall for someone much older than you, or you won’t meet the man of your dreams until much later in life. Either way, you will survive and you will be happy in the end. It will get better, even if it doesn’t get better until you’re 25. 

The main thing to remember here is stick to your guns, and don’t let anyone convince you otherwise. 

Note: I moved this over from another blog. This was originally posted Wednesday, September 17th. If you saw this on the other blog, rest assured this is my work. 

[thingstheydont-teachyou]

Welcome to My Blog!

When you go to college, you realize a lot of things:

The world is much, much bigger than you thought.

You are one small, tiny, insignificant portion of it, no matter how small your college is.

Your high school, no matter what kind of school it claimed to be, absolutely did not, under any circumstances, prepare you for this. In any way, whatsoever. 

People still suck. 

Yes, these are all negative points. But I do have some good points:

You may have loved your high school friend group, but chances are you lost touch about halfway through your first finals week. The good news is the friends you make in college will be your friends for much much longer than those kids you graduated high school with. Travel into the workforce with the knowledge that they will have your back.

College changes you, for the better. It forces you to learn what kind of person you are and what kind of person you want to be.

College forces you to evaluate your spending habits. You need groceries and clothes before you need video games, movies, CDs, or books. 

College also forces you to reevaluate your study habits and time management. (Case in point: I should be doing biology homework, not writing this blog…)

Your roommate(s) will become your sister(s) from another mister. You will always be there for each other. (If you read this, I love you three. :3)

And now for the fun stuff: 

College builds up your toleration for alcohol, just saying.

Football. ‘Nuff said.

You haven’t lived till you’ve experienced gross college food. And you will experience gross college food. 

Bars near campus are gross and trashy, but sometimes, they are the most fun you will ever have on a Friday night. 

Tailgating is the shit. 

So that’s college, in a nutshell. I created this blog to share with you the experiences I have had in college that have shaped me as a person. Hopefully this will help the younger generation know what to expect when it comes to going to college. College will challenge you. It will make you laugh, cry, and sometimes scream. It will make you feel old and young at the same time. It will make you want to be young again. You will love it and you will hate it. But I can assure you that if you are committed to it, college will be the best experience of your life.